Gaming has almost always had a bad reputation.
There’s a laundry list of risks parents are concerned about: addiction, social withdrawal, desensitisation in the development of empathy and numbness in the face of violence; disinterest in reading and physical activities.
However, gaming elements are also increasingly being used in schools and tertiary education. Children who play video games gain unique and important experience as digital citizens.
According to Rachelle Best, CEO and founder of the AI-powered monitoring app FYI Play It Safe, if your child does play video games, you should make sure that you are aware of who they are interacting with and that they understand the difference between the real person and the avatar that represents them.
Additionally, parents need to establish boundaries and make sure their children play in moderation.
“As with anything in life, gaming is all about balance and how you manage this possible form of skills-building entertainment is important.”
Some of the benefits of gaming include:
Brainpower – There are many studies that show that gamers may experience an array of cognitive boosts in the development of visual-spatial skills, logical thinking, problem-solving abilities and eye-hand co-ordination.
Improved mental processing – video games demand players to make quick decisions, act swiftly, keep track of countless factors and remember a lot of information at once. Players excel in the areas of attention, memory, perception, and decision-making.
Social inclusivity – The gaming industry is undeniably social. It is estimated that there are more than 3.2 billion gamers worldwide. For some children, gaming provides them with a sense of belonging to a community. It may provide an opportunity for them to make in-person friends with other gamers at their school or in their neighbourhood, as well as to enjoy supportive online connections.
Instead of being a solitary activity for your child, you can consider making gaming a family activity. This will help you to keep track of the games your child plays, who they interact with online and the time they spend gaming.
The feel-good factor – Gaming is fun; it can enable the release of endorphins and promote physical and mental relaxation.
The key here is moderation and ensuring that there’s a balance between gaming and off-screen activities.
Digital literacy – Children are growing up in a world with a significant and ever-expanding digital realm. They will make their living one day in an even more digital-driven world. Gaming technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality are already being incorporated in many other aspects of life and commerce.
Despite the benefits, there are, however, real risks associated with gaming. One of the most common parental fears is that gaming can open the virtual doors to cyberbullying and online predators.
“The question for parents of a child who wants to start gaming isn't should I or shouldn't I let my kid play video games?” said Best. Instead, ask how can I promote safe and responsible gaming so that they can experience the benefits?
“It’s important for parents to take a healthy interest in their children’s gaming activities and keep up to date by having ongoing, open conversations with them about what they enjoy, how they are doing and who they are interacting with.
“Your child needs to know about the risks of participating in in-game chats or interacting on gaming-related messaging platforms, and together you need to agree on the best ways to keep them safe while gaming,” she said.
Best points out that whether it is gaming or interacting on social media and other platforms, our children need to learn how to engage safely in the digital world, just as they learn to ride a bike or cross the road safely in the real world.
“As parents we need to know the risks and then use the tools available in the online safety ecosystem to mitigate them. That way we can help our kids develop resilience and learn how to become adept, responsible digital citizens.”